A COMMUNITY advent calendar filled with imaginative designs from groups across a Christmas-loving town will take centre stage in a prominent town centre shop window over the festive period.

Dalton Community Church have arranged for a calendar to be on display in the window of David Atkinson Car Sales in Market Street, Dalton, for 24 days as part of an effort to join in with the town's Christmas festivities.

Various groups including St Mary's Church, Dalton Town Band and Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School have submitted creative pictures which will be revealed on a daily basis in the run up to Christmas Eve.

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Reverend Ann Hufton, 64, helped to put together this year's festive initiative.

She said: "We are delighted that so many people have joined in by doing a picture for us. Dalton absolutely prides itself on Christmas and it is something that the whole town is always keen to get involved in.

"As a group, we want to be a part of what is going on and like our name suggests, we want to be part of the community and at the centre of community events going on in Dalton."

Pupils from every primary school in Dalton have got involved to draw a picture for the calendar and Rev Hufton thinks it's great that children get the chance to showcase their artwork.

She added: "There are some really impressive entries. Both children and adults alike have done a fantastic job and we are really pleased to see lots of different pictures on display. It's so nice to get the children involved and get them to be creative."

As well as group efforts, there have also been some solo entries for this year's calendar, including a candle design by 66-year-old Lynne Taylor, who lives at Coronation House in Dalton.

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She experiments with different mediums at a small art group and used her creative nous to draw an image of five candles - something that is synonymous with advent.

Mrs Taylor said: "The candles are lit every Sunday during advent with the last one being the centre candle which is lit on Christmas Day. I think it's such a lovely idea and it's all great publicity for the town and the community church group."